Chemical Analysis of California Olive Ranch EVOO
California Olive Ranch routinely conducts chemical analysis of its EVOO using International Oil Council (IOC) and California Olive Oil Council (COOC) standards. Below is a summary of the most recent results.
International Grade Regulations of Olive Oil
- Extra Virgin olive oil must meet several chemical parameters (see below) including less than
0.8% free fatty acid, and be free of flavor defects and contain some amount of positive aroma. - Virgin olive oil may contain up to 2.0% free fatty acid and may contain slight flavor defects,
defined as up to a 3.5 intensity level on a scale of 0 to 10. - Ordinary and Lampante olive oils contain higher levels of chemical and/or flavor defects
and are refined through a secondary process to remove those defects. - Products labeled as Pure Olive Oil and Olive Oil contain mostly refined oil usually blended
with a small amount of extra virgin oil to impart some olive flavor characteristics. - Light Olive Oil is mostly refined oil blended with little or no extra virgin so it contains less
olive flavor. Note that it is NOT light in calories! - Pomace Olive Oil is obtained by mixing solvents into the by-products of milling (olive pulp)
and then using heat to extract more oil from the olive pulp. Pomace oil has been found to retain
traces of the chemical solvents used in this secondary process.
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